NHL Picks & Pucklines Tonight: Vegas On Verge Of Advancing

The first round of the NHL playoffs continues with Winnipeg's quest for their first series win in franchise history, up against a Wild club which pulled off a desperation victory in game three. Los Angeles has nothing but desperation left for a game four match against Vegas, down 3-0 against the remarkable Golden Knights. Washington lost their first two home games against Columbus, and the Capitals must find a way to claw back into their series against the Blue Jackets on April 17th.

Vegas, Jets And Columbus Dominate First Round

Sometimes, the most dangerous opponents are the ones caught with their back in the corner. With little other option other than winning, the Minnesota Wild bared their fangs and ran the Jets out of the arena with a 6-2 score in game three. Minny’s one of the best home teams in the NHL, but Winnipeg won’t be caught without the requisite intensity for a second consecutive game. Given the fight resurrected within the Wild, tonight’s match should be far more competitive.

The Washington Capitals have been the biggest playoff disappointments of the last decade, unable to leverage the supreme scoring talent of Alex Ovechkin into a lengthy Stanley Cup run. Columbus have shocked the Caps during the 2018 NHL playoffs, winning the first two games in the U.S. capitol. Panarin finished off Washington in game one, while Bobrovski stole a second consecutive overtime triumph in game two. A third straight loss for the Capitals would all but end this series.

Vegas hasn’t quite clinched their first playoff series win yet, but a 3-0 lead over the Los Angeles Kings spells doom for Tinseltown. Only four teams have returned from 3-0 deficits to win a series in the history of the NHL playoffs. Los Angeles was the last club to pull this off in 2014, embarrassing the San Jose Sharks. Repeating this feat will be extremely unlikely, even if Los Angeles is likely to pull off a win to extend the series into a gentleman’s sweep.

NHL Straight Up Picks & Puckline Predictions

Washington at Columbus: Bet Blue Jackets SU (-130)

Winnipeg at Minnesota: Bet Jets SU (-115)

Vegas at Los Angeles: Bet Kings SU (-120)

NHL Playoffs – Best Picks & Pucklines

Capitals at Blue Jackets – Bet Columbus SU (-130)

Columbus fought through adversity in the first two games, earning impressive overtime wins over the Capitals on Washington’s home ice. Panarin finished the first with a classic individual strike, while Bobrovsky stole the second match by stopping 54 of 58 shots. Ovechkin notched a pair of markers, directing ten shots on goal, but his effort wasn’t enough to lift the Caps to a W. Now that the Blue Jackets enjoy home advantage, coach Tortorella will play the matchup game to perfection, earning the Blue Jackets a solid, straight up win.

Jets at Wild – Bet Winnipeg SU (-115)

The Winnipeg Jets ran into a vicious Wild club fighting for their playoff lives, notching three unanswered markers to secure a win in game three. A shellshocked Connor Hellebuyck didn’t provide the netminding needed to withstand Minny’s charge, but he’ll adjust to the intensity of the Wild home crowd. Some worry about the injury to Tyler Myers, but the Jets have shown resilience to injury throughout the regular season.

Winnipeg will be favorites for tonight’s matchup – expect the Jets to reveal their mental fortitude and depth with a straight up win, securing a 3-1 series lead.

Golden Knights at Kings – Bet Los Angeles SU (-120)

Earning a sweep in any playoff series is one of the most difficult accomplishments in the NHL. Often, teams who are threatened with a sweep play the fourth game on home ice, lifting their intensity above the opponents. Los Angeles played fairly well in game three, but they allowed the Golden Knights a remarkable three-goal comeback to hand Vegas a stranglehold on the series. Los Angeles will play well enough on Tuesday night to extend this series back to Vegas with a straight up victory.

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